


More Than Qualified

by real_turtle



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Original characters - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Boys Being Cute, Depression, First Date, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluffy Angst, He just cares too much, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Model AU, Modern Thedas, Self-Hatred, also i highly reccomend reading the original fic that i posted to tumblr, also solas is kind of an asshole, it has drawings that i couldn't put here and they kinda complete it, mention of self harm scars, sfw, solas is a father figure to lavellan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-06-07 06:45:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15213473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/real_turtle/pseuds/real_turtle
Summary: Jojo Samuels is an amateur photographer living in a small town. One day his life takes an unexpected (but not unwelcome) turn as he is contacted by Thedas Fashion Magazine to do a photo shoot with Adair Lavellan.





	More Than Qualified

**Author's Note:**

> This took me 4 days and 1 sleepless night (I’m serious), I did my absolute best to proofread this and look out for any spelling mistakes (ones that were not intentional) but I succ at reading. Also, this will legit probably take you like half an hour to read, I’m not fucking around this is 16 pages long. Enjoy!
> 
> Jojo is owned by me and Adair is owned by hoehoehoelt on tumblr!
> 
> Also! The original fic is posted on my tumblr blog @welcometojoelsvoid (w/ drawings that I spent a lot of time making) and I'd really appreciate if that one would get attention rather than this - thank you for reading! 
> 
> (You can find the fanfic and other things that I've written by searching the tag "jojowritesthings")

He'd been staring at his phone for the last two or so hours, reading the exchange of emails between him and the CEO of Thedas Fashion Magazine, Josephine Montilyet. She had messaged him about doing a photo shoot with Adair Lavellan for the Tevinter Worldwide catalogue in his local area. Jojo sent her a slightly too eager email back the day before.

He's a fan and an amateur photographer such as him is more than likely to lose their head over working with one of the most well-known names in the modelling industry. Of course, he had asked about how his own name had reached Ms Montilyet, to which she answered that her people were looking for someone living in the said area with more than average skills in photography. She said that she saw something special in Jojo's work, something that they could use to their advantage with Lavellan.

He read her words over and over in his mind, lying in bed in nothing but his boxers and a T-shirt that read "let's stay at home" on it. It was already dark outside, the moon illuminating the small bedroom.

Not only was he going to meet _the_ Adair Lavellan but he was going to take his picture, multiple ones!

But he wasn't nervous, this was just another gig. With a famous model who has the prettiest eyes he's ever seen and the most beautiful white hair and a gorgeous figure perfect for soft lighting and high contrast... A photographer's wet dream.

NOPE HE WASN'T NERVOUS TOTALLY NOT KTDJRADHSGJFRUA

Oh boy...

The following day rolls around and he gets a message on one of his social media accounts, in his DMs. Wait. He recognises that handle! IT'S ADAIR OMFG WTFF _FFF_

9:30am [adair.luvellan]: Hey there! I heard you were the photographer I'll be working with next week for my photo shoot. I took a quick look at your work and it all looks so nice! I'm eager to work with you! Xoxo

9:47am [jojo.phtgrphy]: o shit hi

9:48am [jojo.phtgrphy]: um thanx luv and yeh i'm excited too, i really like ur work aslo

9:48am [jojo.phtgrphy]: also*

He could feel his heart beat faster in his chest. What the hell was he doing??? Texting with a fucking model?? And not even bothering to use proper grammar! he was so screwed!!! He couldn't focus on the task of editing a photo on his computer, his phone stealing all his attention for the time being. He waited as the small dots disappeared and reappeared until a block of text popped up.

9:55am [adair.luvellan]: Haha, thank you! Tbh I was kinda surprised when my manager said Josie hired an amateur photographer for this one. Though the photos you've taken so far are expert level!

9:57am [jojo.phtgrphy]: heh they’re not THAT good :p but thanx anyway, u r too nice

9:59am [adair.luvellan]: There is no such thing as too nice! And trust me, hun, your work is incredible!

He keeps complimenting me, why is he doing that? He's a celebrity, dumbass, of course he's nice. Stop being stupid.

10:01am [jojo.phtgrphy]: i bet u say that to all the blokes lol

Why did you send that? That was really dumb.

10:03am [adair.luvellan]: Actually, I don't do this, like, at all. I'm not really allowed to talk to the short-term staff Josie hires outside of work, even sending this could get me in trouble :P so, like, please don't tell anyone?

10:04am [jojo.phtgrphy]: ofc, ur secret is safe w/ me ;p

OMG OMG OMG OMG WTF AM I DOING?

Ok, Jojo calm down, you got this. Everything is cool, totally cool.

He let out a long sigh and put his phone away for a second as he realised his interrupted work still sat on his lap. It was a photo of a Siamese cat. He liked cats, though doesn't remember ever being all that close to one. They're just neat, he thinks - and soft! Presumably.

The rest of the week was complete torture, anxiety building up inside him telling him to pack up his bags and leave before it was too late. But something kept him sane - well, someone rather... Adair. He kept texting him every once in a while throughout the week, mostly talking about nothing in particular but he enjoyed it. Jojo's mind kept telling him to stop, to not get attached. It was just a few day gig and after that Adair would forget about him and move on. They barely knew each other so why would he continue to talk to him? His thoughts raced in his mind as he waited in front of the microwave, leaning against the countertop. He tugged at his hoodie, fidgeting with the strings but stopped as his phone buzzed next to him. He picked it up and looked at the notifications.

2:25pm [adair.luvellan] sent a picture

Jojo's eyes went wide. Adair had never before sent him a picture - well, he had but it was always after a while of talking and it was just clothing and work talk. He was nervous to see what it was. He blushed at his own thoughts. No! He would never... Would he? He didn't seem like the type of guy to do that... Did he?

He took deep breaths and opened the app. It was a selfie of him smiling at the airport with the caption "Just landed! Can't wait to see you! Xoxo".

Jojo stared at the picture as he responded something along the lines of "me neither :D". He felt his cheeks heat up the longer he looked at Adair's selfie. Somehow it was worse yet better than what he thought. He studied Adair's features as he often did while browsing the magazines; he's breathtaking as always, the natural light of the sun making him look angelic. The reality of the situation hit him like a brick every time. He is meeting his idol. He's been texting him the whole week. This is real, this is happening. Yet it all feels like a dream; it's too good to be true. Suddenly, the loud beep of the microwave wakes him up from his thoughts, the smell of pizza catching his attention further.

He woke up early in the morning to the godawful sound of his alarm. He groaned as he got up, shielding his eyes from the sunlight which was way too bright to be considered legal. Today was the first day of the photo shoot and Jojo was nervous. Time seemed to slow down when you’re aware of it passing. He couldn’t stay still, fidgeting and walking in circles in his apartment. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to get time to pass faster or slower, both seemed just as bad. Adair had sent him a text early in the morning, just a quick “Good morning, how’d you sleep?” kind of thing. It didn’t help much but he wasn’t as panicky, still, he needed to get his head straight. Eventually, he decided to take his motorcycle for a small drive around the neighbourhood to scout for good shooting locations. The fresh air and the wind always cleared his mind. The feeling of freedom set his mind at ease and gave him the space to think clearly. It felt good. His one and only safe space was on top of his motorcycle.

He had just stopped in a park when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

4:15pm [adair.luvellan]: I’m getting ready to leave rn, I’m so excited and nervous at the same time :P

4:16pm [jojo.phtgrhpy]: yeh same lol see ya rhere

4:16pm [jojo.phtgrhpy]: there*

Every time he texts Adair there’s an uncomfortable tightness in his chest. He’s so fucking nervous it hurts. Welp here goes nothing, he thinks to himself and mounts his motorcycle again, heading straight to the meeting location; a studio the magazine borrowed for the rest of the month for Jojo and the crew to use. It was nice and big with decent equipment already present but Ms Montilyet had insisted on bringing your own. Jojo was escorted to the right room by Adair’s manager, Solas, an interesting fellow that one. He’s almost always present in Adair’s interviews and does most of the talking a lot which Jojo found quite strange. Jojo forced himself to focus on the present, every step making his heart beat faster and faster to the point where he thought he might actually faint. He jumped slightly as he felt Solas grab his shoulder. “The door on your right will lead you to the shooting studio itself. The other crew members are there already and will tell you what to do once everything is ready. Now you are to wait until Adair himself appears,” he said and gave him a gentle push before disappearing to fuck knows where. Jojo pushed the door open and as Solas had said, a bunch of people were there, none of which he recognised. Well, except Ms Montilyet herself and Vivienne the head designer. They gave him a short walkthrough of the equipment they’d be using (Jojo showing off his own Olympus mark3) and setting the day’s plans and theme for him to comment on. He agreed with most of what was going to happen but the best way to guarantee was to see for himself. After Ms Montilyet and Vivienne left him alone he took some time to further explore the tools around him while every once in a while chatting with some of the crew - and by chatting I mean that they came to ask him questions, most of them being “You’re the new guy, right?” to which he would answer “Yeh” and the other half would ask “You’ve never been in a real studio before, have you?” to which he would answer “Nah”. So, yeah, Jojo is not the most sociable person. He tries but often falls short. Then, after about an hour and a half of waiting, the door opens again and Jojo swore his heart skipped a beat. There he was, the person he’s dreamed of meeting for years, Adair Lavellan. His hair was curled in beautiful waves and he was wearing a long, silky robe, the high heels he was wearing tapped against the floor as he walked. He could only spare a short glance in Jojo's way before Ms Montilyet was after him with Vivienne following suit. Jojo fidgeted with his camera as his eyes wandered around the studio. He tried forcing his heart to calm down but it only seemed to beat harder against his chest. He went into position when called to stand in front of Adair who was now looking straight at him with those gorgeous golden eyes as he turned around and stripped himself of his robe.

Jojo's jaw dropped. He felt himself grip at his camera as time seemed to completely stop. He was hypnotized by the absolute holiness of Adair's being, awestruck by the amount of power he radiated. He felt so real, he was there in front of him, too real even. He-"Samuels," Solas' voice broke him out of his trance. "Focus if you please." he heard Adair giggle as he tried to regain his composure with a quiet 'yessir', raising the camera to his face. After his minor slip-up, he did surprisingly well all things considered. Although it did cost him whatever was left of his pride and sanity. He felt their eyes on him, _his_ eyes on him. All of their eyes bore into the faded shards of his soul, though Adair's eyes were different - his eyes didn't judge, didn't mock or belittle. Whenever their eyes met he felt warmth in his chest and butterflies in his stomach. Not like before, this time it felt...nice, comfortable even. He welcomed it, basked in it. People rarely made him feel this way, made him feel wanted. Adair did that and so much more with nothing more than gentle eyes - he felt like that one time when a stray cat let him pet it and it purred; chosen. Chosen for what, he wasn't sure but it could've been anyone and it was _him_. And goddamn him if he didn't give that cat the best petting of its life. But he couldn't pet Adair, he's not a cat and this isn't the place for that kind of behaviour, so instead, they both stole glances at each other throughout the photo shoot.

"Hey," a voice called out and made his head jerk and ears twitch. He blushed and set his camera aside when he noticed it was Adair. "Um, hi, " he said, not entirely sure what to do but fidget in place. "You did well back there, I really enjoyed watching you all focused," the other said, hand raking through his hair. "Yeh-yeah! You too! You're even prettier in person...!" Jojo blushed at his own words, realising it probably sounded weird. But Adair just laughed and thanked him. He looked back as Solas called him. "Listen, I gotta go now but it was fun to finally meet you face to face! You're a lot cuter than I expected," he said and left, robe flowing behind him as Jojo was dumbstruck in place and blushing deep red.

He carried that same red upon his cheeks all the way back into his apartment, leaning against the wooden door as he closed it behind him. He ruffled his hair with both hands and made happy chirping sounds, slowly setting into a sitting position on the floor. He was sure he looked like a fool, smiling so wide like he did, but he didn’t care - he was happy. He eventually stood up and rid himself of excessive clothing as he walked to his sofa, sitting cross-legged and set his laptop on his legs. The hours passed as he worked on the photos, going through them with a blush that was still clearly visible. He didn’t know what to make of his feelings, sure he has idolised Adair for quite some time but they only just met. He has no reason to feel so strongly towards him, does he? And Adair seemed just as fond of Jojo as he was of Adair. His mind screamed at him, screamed at him to distance himself, that it was nothing - a trap if anything. Why would someone like Adair, a household name, have feelings other than curiosity towards Jojo, a 23-year-old who’s bearly scraping by with a month of rent he can’t pay for? Not to mention that he is literally half dead. Not really a zombie type of half dead but something similar. Thinking about it and the constant frigidity of his body made him more and more aware of the fact that he should be dead. He was supposed to die two years ago but somehow he’s still here - not exactly alive but still here, on Earth, with the living. The buzzing of his phone dragged him out of the depths of his mind. It was Adair.

8:19pm [adair.luvellan]: Hi Jojo! Sorry that our meeting was cut a little short - work stuff, you know :P

8:20pm [adair.luvellan]: Anyway! I doubt Solas will let me socialise more than two seconds at the photo shoots so if you’re interested you could show me around town? 

8:22pm [jojo.phtgrphy]: yeh sure, i know this rlly good coffee place jus’ a few blcks frm the studio

8:24pm [adair.luvellan]: Sounds lovely! I’d like that :) See you tomorrow! Xoxo

8:26pm [adair.luvellan]: Oh! And could you bring a spare hoodie if you can :0?

8:27pm [jojo.phtgrphy]: sure thing luv

8:27pm [adair.luvellan]: Thanks! You’re such a doll!

Jojo lied down on the sofa and let out a short huff. What did he get himself into?

The following day went by similarly to the previous one; Jojo woke up and immediately regretted everything. The morning went by as panic arose in his head, not helped by Adair’s sweet ‘good morning’s this early in the day. Not only would he be photographing Adair again but he would spend time with him alone. Well, not _alone_ alone but like without the crew and restrictions. It would just be the two of them enjoying some quality time together. And like the previous day, Adair sent him a text announcing his leave to the studio. Jojo was relieved to find that today’s outfit wasn’t as racy as the other one - Adair still looked absolutely astonishing though, that was for sure. After the day’s shoot was done Adair told Jojo to wait for him outside at the front doors while he took care of something. Jojo did as told and waited for Adair by the entrance, earbuds in and music soothing his aching soul and mind, though it wasn’t long before Adair appeared from the building, smiling as he saw Jojo.

“Did you bring the extra jacket?” he asked as he wrapped his arms around himself. “Ah - yes! Here you go,” Jojo said and handed him the hoodie he was carrying. Jojo now only noticed how little Adair wore even outside work; now he only had a crop top and tight fit jeans. “How do you even survive in those clothes?” he chuckled, he himself wouldn’t even dream of going outside without a jacket. Adair playfully jabbed him with his elbow, “Well excuse me, I happen to come from a place that isn’t frozen over all the time!”

The walk to the café was pleasant, they didn’t talk much - Adair would at times ask about the town, how old it was, about its history, things like that. “So you’re a local? You seem to know your fair share about this place,” he inquired. Jojo hummed, “Born and raised:” he clearly cared about this place and it showed in the way he spoke about it. “So you speak the language?” “Oh Gods, no.” “Why?” The question made Jojo silent, he took a second or two to look at the streets and the people passing by. “Forgot how to,” he stated and stayed rather quiet the rest of the trip. The café itself was small, lovely and looked rather homely. It had an old-fashioned look to it and the staff was always friendly. Jojo was a frequent customer and knew the people who worked at the café. He and Adair placed their orders, Adair insisting he would pay. 

Jojo chose his usual place in the back on the comfy couch. As they sat down Adair placed his wrapped candy on Jojo’s plate. He tilted his head, “It’s chocolate - you don’t want it?” Adair shook his head. “I don’t really eat sweets all that much,” he said and picked up his cup of tea. “Alright, suit yaself,” he shrugged and dove into the chocolaty sweetness. “You know,” he started as he ate the second one, “This chick once asked what type a coffee I like:” Adair looked over at his companion of the day. “What did you say?” he asked, raising the cup to his lips. “I said that I like me coffee how I like my women; nonexistent ‘cuz I don’t swing that way.” Adair almost choked on his drink as he tried to stop himself from laughing as Jojo glanced over with a smug smile.

Jojo looked him over now that he had the chance to properly take him in. He was quite surprised when he first saw him without all the makeup and glamorous designer clothes. His smile shone brighter than any diamond Jojo had seen him wear - it was authentic and real and it was for _him_. They continued their off-time together, cracking jokes and telling stories. It was a wholesome atmosphere, one that Jojo hadn't felt in a long time. He savoured every second.

“By the way, is your hotel far away?” they had finished eating and drinking - well Adair didn’t really eat anything just drank his tea but I digress - and were now walking down the street. “Yeah, I guess a bit. Why?” Adair stared down at his boots as he waltzed next to Jojo. “I jus’ realised I left my motorcycle at the studio, figured we could walk back and I could give you a ride.” Adair’s ears perked up and a sly smile made its way to his lips. “You have a motorcycle?” Jojo nodded, “Yeh, it’s sorta old but works jus’ fine.” 

“Hop on,” Jojo smiled as he sat across the seat and patted the space behind him. “No helmet? You’re a wild one, aren’t you,” Adair chuckled and seated himself behind Jojo, wrapping his arms around his middle. “Something along those lines - hold on tight, now,” he said as he started the beauty of a bike up. “Way ahead of you,” he said into Jojo’s hoodie as he interlocked his hands over Jojo’s tummy. 

Jojo stopped the bike at the front of the hotel, balancing on his prosthetic leg. Adair got off and bid his farewells “I had a lot of fun today, thank you,” he said and gave a quick kiss to Jojo’s temple right on the edge of his scar. “I hope we can do this again soon. Just hang out, you know?” Adair waved him goodbye and made his way inside as he left Jojo perplexed and blushing in the cool evening air. He reached a hand on the spot Adair kissed, taking his time as thoughts raced through his mind at high speeds. Eventually, he came back to the present and started up his motorcycle again, headed towards home.

Just as he closed the door to his apartment his phone buzzed in his pocket.

9:34pm [adair.luvellan]: I just noticed I forgot I still have your hoodie! Sorry about that!

9:35pm [jojo.phtgrphy]: no worries lol u can give it back tmrrw and we could maybe hang out while at it :)

9:35pm [adair.luvellan]: Awesome! I’m in! Xoxo

His anxiety had settled down, for the time being, he didn’t feel as nervous - at least not for the same reason as before. Now he was anxious about what was happening between them. He knew Adair wasn’t a person of much physical affection from interviews, and so far he’s been very close to Jojo, so this had to mean something. Why else would he... why else would he have kissed him like that? The small sign of affection was a much bigger deal than he thought it ever would be to him - if it had been anyone else he wouldn’t have thought so much about it. Physical affection was normal for him with his friends, he’s a very physical person, he does respect his friends’ boundaries though. He sighed and went straight to bed, exhausted from overthinking and the day’s activities, not even bothering to change. He lied down on his bed, staring at his ceiling for a bit before closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to take him away from reality.

Wednesday brought a weird feeling to him. He hadn’t gotten Adair’s usual morning text nor did he get a text about Adair’s leave for the studio. Something wasn’t right and that set off panic inside his mind. Had something happened? Was Adair hurt? He thought about sending him a text but couldn’t bring himself to do it, he felt weird and awkward. Surely if something happened he would’ve gotten a message from, like, Ms Montilyet or Adair’s manager, right? Jojo decided to wait until the photo shoot. Maybe he would get answers - then again, Adair didn’t owe him anything, maybe he got bored of him... Wait- stop, don’t do that to yourself. Of course he at least cares for you! Adair isn’t the kind of person to use somebody and you know that! He continued fighting with his own thoughts, eventually coming to the conclusion of going for a ride, that should help him get his thoughts in order - like it always did. He had a few hours until the photo shoot so he had time. Though, as he drove around the neighbourhood he found he couldn’t quite focus on the road. All his thoughts eventually ended up on Adair, if he was okay and what would happen next between them - if anything were to happen, that is.

Time passed and Jojo drove to the studio, parking his motorcycle nearby. He didn’t know what to expect but the last thing was Adair who seemed perfectly fine ignore him completely as he stepped into the shooting studio. He hadn’t looked at Jojo once during the photo shoot, only either to the side or at the camera - not him. Not once. To say the least he was hurt, very much so. As the photo shoot ended for the day Adair headed straight for the door not sparing a single glance at the man who he had lovingly gazed at before. He hadn’t heard a single word the other crew had said to him - it all fell on deaf ears. Jojo couldn’t let this slide, he wanted answers and for the first time in his life, he swore to the Gods he would get them. He waited outside for Adair to appear and a few minutes later he did. “Adair,” he called out, putting his earbuds and phone away. Adair stopped and slowly turned around but still didn’t look at him in the eye. Jojo called out to him again, a little quieter this time, eyes searching for Adair’s own. All he got was his own jacket shucked at him with a quick “Take your jacket and go.” Jojo let the hoodie drop to the ground as he grabbed Adair by the wrist before he could leave. “Adair, what’s goin’ on? Did I do something wrong? Talk to me!” he felt his stomach drop when Adair didn’t answer nor look at him, staring intensely at the ground. Jojo felt himself being pulled away from the other. He turned towards the person. It was Solas. “Do not touch him.” his voice was low and threatening. “Never talk to him again if you know what’s best for the both of you,” he said before guiding Adair away from Jojo. He watched as they got into a limo and drove off. Jojo could feel his hands shake as tears pooled up in his eyes. His head slumped as he slowly picked up his hoodie from the ground and went to his bike, he couldn’t enjoy the ride home.

At home, he sank to the ground against the door and let the tears fall down his cheeks, hiccupping as his hands came up to pull at his hair. Why had he been so stupid as to _actually believe_ Adair had feelings for him? Stupid, stupid, _stupid!_

Reality finally decided to check up on him only to find a stumbling fool too hopeful, too stuck in his own head, and gave him one hell of a bitch slap across the face - and it stung, it hurt like a punch to the gut. There was a hurricane in his mind, destroying everything and causing chaos. He felt as if the world had slipped from beneath his feet and he was falling, scared and alone in darkness - lost in a different reality only to find the real one was filled with heartbreak - his heart ached, physical pain manifested in him, but not the kind he usually felt because of his leg. This was in his chest like a knife had been lodged deep into his heart and lungs - he couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, couldn’t move. He felt weak, useless, helpless. After a while, he felt... numb. The tears had stopped and his mind was empty. He was tired, exhausted. He felt like ever since something life had been complete hell. He sat on the floor with puffy eyes and a tear stained face wondering how the fuck did he get here - what did he do to get to this point? Was he being punished? He didn’t want to dwell and ponder on such things any longer so he slowly got up and went to his room to change and lied down on his bed. He hoped that he’d either wake up tomorrow to find that it all had been a dream or preferably be dead.

Unfortunately for him, he woke up perfectly fine, or at least not worse than yesterday. He checked his phone after swiping off the alarm; no messages from Adair - not that he cared... well, actually, he did, he cared a lot but he just didn’t want to. Didn’t want to care about him or anything else anymore, he didn’t have the strength for it. Couldn’t handle it. He just wanted to be and not worry about anything else but even that felt impossible, at this point he didn’t even want to be anymore. The morning was slow, very slow. He didn’t feel like eating breakfast so he just went to lie down on his couch and watched the news - though he wasn’t really listening. Everything felt strange and not right. He tried to ignore it but the feeling was always in the back of his mind, taunting him, mocking him. His mind was cloudy but he didn’t feel like going for a ride or be on his phone - he’d have to get up and go find it for that. He didn’t feel like doing anything right now. So he just lied there and let time pass him by. 

He woke up to the frantic ringing of his doorbell. He opened his eyes and sat up as he tried to regain his vision (or what was left of it anyway). The ringing grew more annoying by the second. “I’m comin’, I’m comin’!” he yelled at the bastard at the door. He stumbled to the door, his body still waking up. Who in the living fuck- He opened the door and the person behind it jumped at him and the both of them fell on the ground. Wait... Silky white hair, soft skin and sweet smell! Jojo looked at the person who attacked him and sure enough, he saw Adair with his face pressed to his shoulder. “Ah-Adair?” what was he doing here? He pulled away from Jojo’s shoulder, his face was red, his makeup smeared and there were tears falling down his face and onto Jojo’s shirt. “Wha-what the _fuck_ is wrong with you?!” Jojo was confused, he stared at the other with wide eyes and he stared back. “When you di-didn’t appear at the studio...I..” his voice cracked and faltered, “I thought you were _dead!!_ ” he balled his hands into fists around Jojo’s shirt. “I’m... I’m so f-f-f-fuc _king sorry_ ,” he cried, “I shouldn’t have ever treated y-you like th-ha-hat.:!!” his inhales were pitched and he hiccuped as he cried out words and sounds, it all coming out a bit mumbled but Jojo could still understand him, well, he understood the words but couldn’t quite understand fully what Adair meant. “He-hey now... It’s okay, everything is alright,” he said with a quiet tone, his voice still a bit raspy, bringing them both to a sitting position. “I’m okay, I’m okay,” he assured as he gently hugged Adair and massaged soothing circles into his back. “Everything is alright,” he whispered as Adair quietly sniffled and hiccuped into his shoulder. He continued comforting Adair, sitting on the floor with the other man in his lap, even after he had gone quiet. After a while, Adair pulled back, blinking his dry eyes as he wiped at his messy face. “I was so scared...” his voice was quiet and careful as he spoke slowly, “Scared that something had happened to you...” Jojo gently took Adair’s soft face in his scarred hands - unlike Jojo’s, his skin was smooth and flawless. “I’m sorry for scaring you like that, I just fell asleep on my couch.” “I called you, like, a thousand times! I panicked. I...I didn’t know what to do... I just asked your address from Josie and ran here as fast I could in heels;” he chuckled lightly at himself. Jojo sighed, “C’mon,” he helped Adair up from the floor, “The couch is a bit more comfortable.” Adair sat on the sofa as Jojo brought him a glass of water and sat beside him. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. “Look, I-” Jojo started but couldn’t find the right words to say, “I... I want to know what happened yesterday.” He looked over at Adair who stopped drinking and furrowed his brows as he looked back “You know when you ignored me the whole time at the photo shoot?”

“Yesterday?” he asked, “Jojo you were gone for two days! I was worried sick!” he almost started crying again just from the memory alone. Jojo stared at Adair, confused. Had he really slept for two days straight? He knew he’s guilty of sloth but damn. “Love, I had no idea,” he gently shook his head, eyes wandering from Adair’s face to his own hands. He saw Adair’s own hand reach for his, he looked up to see Adair with a very gentle expression. “I didn’t want to hurt you like that;” he started, “I... That night after our date, Solas found out - about us. As expected... he was furious.” he wiped at the corners of his eyes with his other hand. “He took my phone, told me to stop talking to you. Gave a whole speech about ‘maintaining my image’ and ‘not ruining my career’, as he put it.” Jojo’s eyes met his and Adair smiled at him, “Deep down he cares, maybe too much, but he is not a bad man. Don’t hold it against him,” he said and shifted closer to Jojo, resting his head on his shoulder. 

“He’s just worried..” “But, like, why would this ruin your career? I don’t get it,” Jojo asked, resting his head on top of Adair’s, taking in his sweet scent. “...Something similar had happened a while ago. You know Dorian Pavus?” “Yeah, the designer, of course I know him.” “Right, so you know about the whole scandal with him dating his bodyguard, Bull.” he sat up and looked at Jojo. “It was all over the news at the time, why you ask?” “It almost destroyed both of their lives. A mage designer and a qunari bodyguard. Two people from entirely different worlds - image what would happen if word got out that an elf model - and I say this with all of my love - was dating someone like you.” his tone was serious and filled with heartache. It was true; it could potentially fuck them over big time. “So... what do you wanna do about...all of this,” he gestured to the both of them. Adair let out a sigh, “I... I don’t want anything to happen to what we have. I want us to be together, screw what anyone else thinks.” Jojo blushed at the sudden bluntness and nodded. “Do you... do you want that too?” he went shy, feeling insecure all of a sudden. “Y-yes!” Jojo yelled out, “U-um - I mean, yeah, I’d like that.” he rubbed at the back of his head and let out an awkward laugh as he turned away. “Hey,” Adair took Jojo’s chin in his hand and turned it towards him, “We’re gonna get through this - together,” he murmured, eyes studying his features and eventually settling on his lips, Jojo following suit. “Cah-can I...?” Jojo could feel his heart beat hard in his chest as he asked for reassurance. Adair nodded and met him the rest of the way in a sweet kiss.

“I know the world is harsh and unforgiving and that this may seem impossible but I promise you - I won’t stop trying to make this work, you and I.” Adair’s words made his heart feel warm and his touch made him feel alive. “I will try my hardest,” he said. And with each kiss, it became a promise more strong - more real.

Jojo and Adair made plans to meet up in a park the following day and for the sake of security they met up about an hour after the photo shoot - Adair even put on normal clothing and didn’t bother with makeup. They met at the same café Jojo had brought Adair to before, had a cup of tea and ate pastries before leaving and walking down the street, holding hands as they did so, enjoying the clear skies and bright day, talking about everything and nothing. It was peaceful and absolutely wholesome. “Hey, by the way;” Adair started, walking a bit closer to Jojo, “Dorian is coming to see this next week and I know you two would get along fantastically. Would you like me to introduce you?” Jojo tilted his head. “Wait- I thought you hated each other? There was a whole fiasco of you ‘stealing his title as Tevene Beauty’ thing,” he stated. Adair groaned, “Ugh, don’t remind me. And to answer your question, no, we don’t hate each other. We’re actually really good friends. We just pretended to to ‘cause drama’ which would sell. It was annoying as fuck.” Jojo nodded and gently squeezed Adair’s hand. “Well, I’d love t’ meet him,” he smiled and Adair smiled back, changing the topic to something. They ended up stopping by a park, sitting down and did some ‘people-watching’ as Jojo called it. He turned to the other, questions popping into his head as he regarded his companion. “Can I ask you something?” he continued as Adair nodded with a quick ‘sure’, “Do you... like, have you ever wanted to do a photo shoot without- without all the, uh, makeup and revealing clothing and such? I mean- you look fine like that but you just-” “Look like a woman,” Adair finished. He saw the rising panic in Jojo’s eyes and quickly said “Don’t worry, you didn’t offend me. I don’t mind all of that, I like wearing those things but, yeah, I’ve been curious about showing the other side of me,” he said, browsing on his phone. Jojo thought for a moment and then jumped up from the bench. “What if I did it!” he shouted, excited as a puppy. “What?” Adair was confused, what was he talking about? “I’ve photographed the feminine side of you already - I want to photograph this,” he gestured at Adair, “This side of you! The person behind the glam and the makeup and the editing - the authentic _you_.” a fire was in his eyes, he became more excited the more he thought about it. “I-I don’t-” “Stay still for a moment!” Jojo reached for his phone and took a photo.

“What are you doing?” he laughed, he liked seeing Jojo so passionate. “Look, look!” he sat close to Adair and showed his phone and pointed at the picture, “A real smile! You look gorgeous,” he said and locked eyes with Adair who was sure his cheeks burned bright red. “I’m not sure if we’re allowed to do that .. I mean-” “I swear t’ the Gods I will make it happen if you want.” Jojo’s voice hadn’t lost its passion but it sounded more serious. His brows were furrowed and he had a goofy smile on his face. Adair smiled back and sighed. “Alright, I’m in.” Jojo jumped up again and shouted “YES!!” he punched the air with his fist. “I will give you the best fuckin’ photo shoot of your life! This is gonna be great!!” he giggled and Adair laughed along. 

At that moment he was sure of it - Josie had picked one hell of a photographer.

And he was more than qualified for the job.


End file.
